Sarah Wild

Science journalism, unlike science communication, exists to serve the reader. Getting it wrong can only undermine the public's trust in science.

Some research press releases may be more about institutional reputation than science – and in depleted newsrooms, this inaccurate PR could become news. Here’s how to get the science straight.

South Africa is capable of manufacturing vaccines, and has extensive expertise in testing them, but is not currently producing any from start to finish.

A viral challenge urges people to plant spekboom, because of its ability at ‘sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere’. But there is no evidence that the succulent is more effective at combating climate change than the Amazon rainforest.